Year 11 Maths - Statistics and Probability Quick Guide Page 1 of 10
1. Types of Data
Key idea: Statistics starts by knowing what type of data you have.
Numerical data uses numbers. Categorical data uses names or groups.
Numerical data can be discrete or continuous:
- Discrete data is counted, such as number of siblings.
- Continuous data is measured, such as height, mass, time, or temperature.
Categorical data can be nominal or ordinal:
- Nominal categories have no order, such as favourite colour.
- Ordinal categories have an order, such as rating from poor to excellent.
Mistake to avoid: A number is not always numerical data. A phone number is a label, not a
measurement.
Practice: Is shoe size numerical or categorical? It is often treated as numerical discrete in
school data questions, but it can also be a category depending on the investigation.
Study tip: show working clearly, check units, and explain your reason when a question asks "why".
Year 11 Maths - Statistics and Probability Quick Guide Page 2 of 10
2. Mean, Median, Mode, and Range
Key idea: A measure of centre describes a typical value. A measure of spread describes how
spread out the data is.
Mean: add all values and divide by the number of values.
Median: put values in order and find the middle.
Mode: the most common value.
Range: highest value minus lowest value.
Example: Data: 3, 4, 4, 7, 12. Mean = 30/5 = 6. Median = 4. Mode = 4. Range = 12 - 3 = 9.
The median is often better when there are outliers, because the mean can be pulled by very
large or small values.
Mistake to avoid: Always order the data before finding the median.
Practice: Find the median of 9, 2, 7, 4, 5. Answer: 5.
Study tip: show working clearly, check units, and explain your reason when a question asks "why".
Year 11 Maths - Statistics and Probability Quick Guide Page 3 of 10
3. Quartiles and Interquartile Range
Key idea: Quartiles split ordered data into four parts. The interquartile range, or IQR,
measures the spread of the middle 50% of data.
Q1 is the lower quartile. Q2 is the median. Q3 is the upper quartile.
IQR = Q3 - Q1.
Example: Data in order: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14. Median is 8. Lower half is 2, 4, 6, so Q1 = 4.
Upper half is 10, 12, 14, so Q3 = 12. IQR = 8.
Box plots use minimum, Q1, median, Q3, and maximum.
Mistake to avoid: Different teachers may use slightly different quartile methods for even-
sized data. Follow the method used in class.
Practice: If Q1 = 15 and Q3 = 31, IQR = 16.
Study tip: show working clearly, check units, and explain your reason when a question asks "why".
Year 11 Maths - Statistics and Probability Quick Guide Page 4 of 10
4. Graphs for Data
Key idea: Choose a graph that matches the data and the purpose.
Bar graph: good for categorical data.
Dot plot: good for small numerical data sets.
Histogram: good for grouped continuous numerical data.
Box plot: good for comparing centre and spread between groups.
Scatter plot: good for investigating relationships between two numerical variables.
A good graph includes a title, labelled axes, appropriate scale, and units if needed.
Example: To compare test scores from two classes, side-by-side box plots can show median,
spread, and outliers.
Mistake to avoid: Do not use a line graph for unrelated categories. Line graphs usually show
change over time or ordered values.
Practice: Which graph is best for height against arm span? Answer: scatter plot.
Study tip: show working clearly, check units, and explain your reason when a question asks "why".
Year 11 Maths - Statistics and Probability Quick Guide Page 5 of 10
5. Comparing Groups
Key idea: When comparing two groups, discuss centre, spread, shape, and unusual values.
Useful sentence frame: Group A has a higher median than Group B, so a typical value is larger
in Group A. Group A also has a smaller IQR, so its middle 50% is less spread out.
Compare:
- Centre: median or mean.
- Spread: IQR, range, or standard deviation if taught.
- Shape: symmetric, skewed, clustered, or uniform.
- Unusual values: outliers or gaps.
Example: If Class 1 median = 72 and Class 2 median = 64, Class 1 generally scored higher.
Mistake to avoid: Do not say a group is better only because it has the highest maximum.
Practice: If one box plot has a much larger IQR, what does it mean? Answer: values are more
spread out.
Study tip: show working clearly, check units, and explain your reason when a question asks "why".
Year 11 Maths - Statistics and Probability Quick Guide Page 6 of 10
6. Probability Basics
Key idea: Probability measures how likely something is. It ranges from 0 to 1.
- Probability 0 means impossible.
- Probability 1 means certain.
- Probability 0.5 means equally likely as not.
Formula for equally likely outcomes: probability = favourable outcomes / total outcomes.
Example: A fair die has 6 outcomes. Probability of rolling a 4 is 1/6. Probability of rolling
an even number is 3/6 = 1/2.
Complement rule: P(not A) = 1 - P(A).
Example: If P(rain) = 0.3, then P(no rain) = 0.7.
Mistake to avoid: A probability cannot be negative or greater than 1.
Practice: Probability of heads on a fair coin. Answer: 1/2.
Study tip: show working clearly, check units, and explain your reason when a question asks "why".
Year 11 Maths - Statistics and Probability Quick Guide Page 7 of 10
7. Combined Events and Two-Way Tables
Key idea: Some probability questions involve more than one condition. Tables and tree diagrams
help organise information.
Two-way tables show how two categories overlap.
Example: In a class of 30 students, 18 study music, 12 study art, and 5 study both. The number
studying music or art is 18 + 12 - 5 = 25.
The word AND often means overlap. The word OR often means include either group, but avoid
double counting the overlap.
For independent events, multiply probabilities: P(A and B) = P(A) x P(B).
Example: Two coin tosses. P(two heads) = 1/2 x 1/2 = 1/4.
Mistake to avoid: Do not add probabilities when the events happen together in sequence.
Practice: Roll a die then flip a coin. P(6 and heads) = 1/6 x 1/2 = 1/12.
Study tip: show working clearly, check units, and explain your reason when a question asks "why".
Year 11 Maths - Statistics and Probability Quick Guide Page 8 of 10
8. Experimental vs Theoretical Probability
Key idea: Theoretical probability is based on what should happen. Experimental probability is
based on what actually happens in trials.
Theoretical example: A fair coin has P(heads) = 1/2.
Experimental example: If a coin lands heads 43 times in 100 tosses, experimental probability
of heads is 43/100 = 0.43.
As the number of trials increases, experimental probability often gets closer to theoretical
probability, but random variation still exists.
Relative frequency = number of times event occurs / total trials.
Mistake to avoid: A small number of trials may give results far from the theoretical
probability. That does not always mean the object is unfair.
Practice: A spinner lands red 27 times in 90 spins. Experimental probability = 27/90 = 0.3.
Study tip: show working clearly, check units, and explain your reason when a question asks "why".
Year 11 Maths - Statistics and Probability Quick Guide Page 9 of 10
9. Interpreting Statistical Claims
Key idea: Statistics is not only calculation. You must judge whether a claim is supported by
data.
Ask:
- Who was surveyed or measured?
- Was the sample large enough?
- Was the sample representative?
- Was the question biased?
- Are there outliers or missing information?
Example: If a survey asks only basketball players about favourite sports, it may overestimate
how popular basketball is among all students.
Correlation does not prove causation. Two variables can move together without one causing the
other.
Example: Ice cream sales and sunburns may both increase in summer, but buying ice cream does
not cause sunburn.
Mistake to avoid: Do not make a strong conclusion from weak or biased data.
Practice: Why is random sampling useful? Answer: it reduces bias and helps the sample
represent the population.
Study tip: show working clearly, check units, and explain your reason when a question asks "why".
Year 11 Maths - Statistics and Probability Quick Guide Page 10 of 10
10. Statistics and Probability Checklist
Before finishing, check:
- Did you order data before finding the median and quartiles?
- Did you use the correct graph for the data type?
- Did you compare centre and spread, not just one value?
- Did you include context in your conclusion?
- Is your probability between 0 and 1?
- Did you avoid double counting in OR questions?
Mixed practice:
1. Mean of 5, 7, 8, 10. Answer: 7.5.
2. Range of 12, 20, 19, 8. Answer: 12.
3. P(not A) when P(A) = 0.65. Answer: 0.35.
4. Graph for two numerical variables. Answer: scatter plot.
5. IQR if Q1 = 6 and Q3 = 14. Answer: 8.
Study tip: show working clearly, check units, and explain your reason when a question asks "why".